No more confrontation, Mutharika for collaboration with Malawi NGOs

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has said his government will work in close collaboration with the civil society organisation and can ill-afford confrontation which was a hallmark of his late brother Bingu wa Mutharika’s regime.

“Time for confrontation between civil society organisations (CSOs) and government is no longer here,” said Mutharika on Friday.

He was speaking during the launch of the NGO Corporate Governance Charter in Lilongwe.

President Peter Mutharika: Calls for unity

Mutharika, who appointed Mavuto Bamusi as Special Assistant and Advisor on NGOs and Civil Society to help with communication and relationship building so that NGOs and government have a unity of purpose, said he believes in “cooperation and consensus building.”

He pledged that his government will “always protect and respect the rights of CSO leaders and also promote and protect the rights of all Malawians.”

The President noted that CSOs are important players in promoting policies and practices that are intended to uplift communities from poverty to prosperity.

“My government will always work hard and guarantee adequate space for civil society work,” stressed Mutharika.

The President said he has made a commitment to hold meetings and dialogue sessions with NGO leaders periodically.